538 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



hydrogcnated whale fat might have in the manufacture of margarines 

 if it or other fats possessing this destructive power were included as 

 components of margarine or lard compounds. 



The foregoing remarks concerning the fat-soluble vitamins in fish 

 fats liave been included here because of the close relation of fat- 

 soluble vitamins and fish fats. The general subject of the distribu- 

 tion, availability, and value of vitamms in fish and shellfish is more 

 fully covered in another chapter. 



INCREASING THE CONSUMPTION OF FISH FATS 



In the foregoing reference has been made to the amount of fish 

 fats that are eaten as a part of fish flesh. The amount of fish fats 

 ingested in conjunction with the consumption of fresh fish far exceeds 

 the estimate of anyone who has not examined market records. This 

 amount of fish fat is greatly exceeded by the amount eaten as a part 

 of fish preserved by drying, salting, pickling, smoking, and canning. 

 The total of the fats eaten as a part of both fresh and preserA^ed fish 

 is many times exceeded by the quantity of separated fish fats prepared 

 annually. 



To indicate briefly the extent to which such fish fats are available, 

 it may be noted that as much as 6,260,478 gallons of menhaden, 

 170,977 gallons of sardine, 450,362 gallons of herring, and 25,989 gal- 

 lons of salmon oils have been prepared during a year. At the present 

 time these are used largely for industrial purposes. In selecting 

 fats for food the purchaser ordinarily considers such factors as price, 

 quality, palatability, and individual preference. The question of 

 the third factor — palatability — has to a very great extent been the 

 deciding factor against the use of fish fats. To be sure, individual 

 preference plays an important part in the decision against the use 

 of fish fats in cooking, but this objection Avould not be of long standing 

 if their c[uality and palatability were improved. In support of this 

 assumption attention m.ay be called to the status of cottonseed oil, 

 which is now used on its own merits. Years ago it was in decided 

 ill repute as a salad oil, for it was considered a substitute for olive oil. 

 At the present time cottonseed, oil (which has an energy value as high 

 as that of any fat) is freely used for salads and cooking purposes 

 with no thought of comparing it with olive oil. Similarly, if fish fats 

 could be offered to the average consumer in an attractive and palat- 

 able form at a price not in excess of that of commonly used fats they 

 would be used for cooking in constantly increasing quantities in 

 spite of any present personal prejudices. 



To be sure, it would be necessary to reiine such fats in order to 

 make them attractive to the average consumer. This is also the 

 case with cottonseed oil, for when it is first obtained from the hot, 

 pressed seed it is a heavy ruby or dark red oil that is far from attrac- 

 tive as a food, but when refined by treating it with various decolor- 

 izing, deodorizing, neutralizing, and bleaching agents it is trans- 

 forrned into an attractive, light yellow oil that may be used for 

 salads or in cooking, and it may be further transformed by hydro- 

 genation into a white, bland, sohd fat of any desired consistency. 



Tlie residts of numerous investigations show that the hydrogena- 

 tion process is most suitable for improving the quality of fish fats. 

 It is largely used for hardening liquid fats and consists of heating 



